Thursday, March 29, 2012

A Haunting Love

The rippling Black lake looked surreal and inviting as she stood on its edge in profound silence. She had never witnessed a more beautiful evening in her 4 years at Hogwarts. Hermione threw back her bushy hair and gazed heavenwards. The dying sun had painted the horizon in a hue of colors and the Forbidden Forest in the vicinity had a tinge of gold amidst its usual green. Cool watery breeze caressed her face and she closed her eyes shut soaking in the ethereal beauty.

What Hermione did not know was that she was not alone…she was being watched. A tall, pale boy was observing her with stealthy eyes from close quarters. Hermione turned to go as Draco Malfoy emerged out from the shadows of dense bushes. A moment of uncomfortable silence followed as her cold gaze met his calculating eyes.

“Err…ya…Umm…You remember how you slapped me that day…In our third year…well, umm…It still echoes in my ears…, Draco laughed slightly. “And well….I realize that I was wrong….and I should not have fought with you…and….And you…. you are not mudblood…. And and…I have got one more thing to say……I well, need to confess something…err…..” There was an awkward hesitation in his voice; something very uncharacteristic of him and Hermione was quick to spot that.

“What confession,” she asked narrowing her eyes with a hint of suspicion.

“Hermione…Hermione…..Harry just confessed something to me… He fancies Moaning Myrtle…come quickly,” said Ron breathlessly as he ran in.

“Haha what rubbish…. Let’s see….Ouch…Ron, you are crushing my fingers,” smiled Hermione as Ron took her hand. Without another glance at Draco, she walked away with her close friend.

Draco numbly watched the two going towards the castle……going…. going……gone.

He stood there staring fixedly at their figures getting smaller and smaller….now just two little dots…two happy dots. He felt lost and hardly registered the fact that it had begun to drizzle. Heavy drops of rain that fell on his face faithfully mingled with the two streaks of tears.

He was soaking by the time he realized that he had been stupidly standing there when everybody else was inside their warm common rooms. He picked up his sopping robes and began to run through small puddles of water…. Suddenly, the heavens opened up, clouds exploded in a thunderous roar…there was a blinding flash of lightning and a pale man woke up with a jolt some 20 years later.

“Dad, what happened….You are sweating dad…Did you have a nightmare, dad?” asked Scorpius.

“I’m… alright, son…. It was just…,” Draco murmured with a heavy breath.

“Did you have a nightmare, Dad?”

“Nightmare? Oh… no! It was a dream…..just a dream…..yeah, it was really…..just a dream….my dream.”

No...It wasn't Draco Malfoy's dad. It was Draco Malfoy only....20 years later....the scene with Hermione has been narrated as a flashback. Draco is haunted by this unrequited, unfulfilled love for the past 20 years. The child at the end is Draco's son (from his wife Astoria Greengrass) named Scabior.

“There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place.” ― J.K. Rowling

About Me

When he realized that he wasn’t made out for a corporate job, Ritesh Agarwal quit CA and took up writing as a full-time profession. He also enjoys teaching, taking amateurish photographs with his over-expensive camera and penning short stories (when he is not procrastinating, that is). Having reviewed dozens of books by dozens of authors, he is hoping that someday somebody would review ‘Lovelets’, the anthology in which he finally got published.
A multi-tasker at heart, he is also planning a career in baby-sitting and story-reading. If you have lots of babies or just wish to indulge in bookish chitchats, you can catch him at Facebook on www.facebook.com/RiteshIsGreatest or toss a friendly email at ritzy182000@gmail.com